Irrigating apparatus



Renued Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE IRRIGATING APPARATUS Milton Irwin, Minnen polis, Minn., asignar of oneman.

femm. (ci. 12s- 221) My invention relates to a colonic and intestinal irrigator and has for its object to provide controllable means for causing a cleansing liquid to be injected into the colon under stabilized 6 pressure and for withdrawal of said liquid together with substances taken from the bowels. The device is, therefore, particularly 'designed for irrigating and cleansing the intestinal tract.

In the treatment'of colitis, constipation and 1U certain types oi rheumatism caused by infection oi the colon, intestinal tract irrigation and high enemas have been found to produce benetici-al results. It is essential in irrigating the colon and intestinal tract that the pressure of the liquid utilized be kept below a predetermined limit, and for the most eective and beneficial cleansing it is essential that means be provided for causing the liquid to enter and leave the intestinal tract under the control of the operator and in suitable volumes and suitable intermittent periods of injection and withdrawal. It is further important that the temperature ol the liquid utilized be controlled in order to obtain the most satisfactory results.

- It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide means for delivering a continuous stream of tempered liquid so that said stream will normally discharge to a sewer outlet and to employ in connection with said primary continuous stream a secondary stream of liquid drawn there-v from and adapted to be discharged therewith to the sewer, said secondary stream having connected therein a nozzle or speculum for proper positimiing within the rectal opening of a patient, together with means for periodically blocking said secondary stream in its passage to the sewer discharge to cause the same to enter the intestinal tract, and for releasing it to cause it to carry material from the intestinal tract, the speculum when in use being positioned so that 4the greater part of the vertical extent of the primary stream o! liquid will have its gravity force applied to the liquid at the point o! discharge l y from the speculum under pressure which is thus stabilized.

It vis a further object of my invention to providemeans for introducing .into the aforesaid secondary stream of liquid bubbles of air to be carried with the liquid through the speculum or nozzle into the intestinal tract and subsequently to move with the stream of liquid back through the nomle for discharge with the liquid into the It is a further object o! my invention to provideaspeculumhavingthereinonechannelcnly and to provide means for causing inlet and outlet of liquid and material carried thereby through said single channel.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed 6 description thereof and the novel features of the invention by which the above referred to advantageous and useful results are obtained are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating an application of l0 my invention in one of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing an embodiment of my improved apparatus compactly mounted on a suitable supporting panel;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the 1B chamber wherein hot and cold liquids are mixed;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. 20

In providing for the aforesaid primary stream of tempered liquid, such as water,'I connect with a source of water under pressure such as the customary cold water pipe designated C and the customary hot water pipe designated H. Pipe 25 sections B and 'I are controlled by valves 9a and la and other valves 6b and 1b and the combined stream from the two pipes may be passed through a connector pipe 8 into a mixing chamber 9. These parts, together with other 'parts herein- 80 after described, are shown as mounted on a vertical panel P.

The construction of the interior of the mixing `chamber 9 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. An inclined partition or baille 9a is secured .in Asaid 99 chamber a short distance above the bottom thereof and traverses a considerable portion o! the cross sectional area of casing 9. It is thus disposed so as to intercept and deflect the streams of hot and cold liquid which are admitted into 40 the casing through the intake conduit 8. 'This baille imparts a swirling and churning motion to the incoming stream of liquid and assists in quickly causing .the mixture of hot and cold water. 45

The main stream oi' water yis shown as moving through an upwardly extending pipe I9, to a lposition at substantially the' top of the panel P, then through a connector pipe I l downwardly extending pip i2v with an intervening trans- 60 parent section ila and to a discharge pipe I3 provided with a customary trap. Ita disposed therein.

It will be apparent from this construction that by manipulation of the cocks la, la and 6b, 1b,

a suiiicient volume of hot and cold water under pressure may be provided so that it will pass through mixing chamber I and provide a continuous stream through the pipe system III, Il, I2, I2a and Il, to the point of discharge into a sewer or a receptacle leading to a sewer. Preferably the intake pipe 8 is of considerably smaller diameter than the pipe III, I2 to insure that not too great a volume oi water will be passed through the pipe system Il, I2, I2. The short pipe section Il at the top of the upwardly extending pipe III is provided with means ior admitting air to prevent a siphon action between pipes I. and I2 and from the mixing chamber 9 and pipe Il.

As above stated the construction Just described is adapted to produce a continuous stream of liquid. such as water. nowing to the maximum height at the point II and continuously discharging to the sewer'discharge outlet'. For the purpose of colonic and intestinal irrigation I provide a secondary stream of liquid. such as water. tapped oi! the primary stream at a point beyond the mixing chamber and which discharges to the sewer discharge outlet, and which has connected therein a nozzle or speculum for introduction into the rectal opening of a subject. As shown. the conduits for this secondary stream comprise a pipe Il Joined with the ascending pipe Il immediately above the mixing chamber 0. The pipe Il continues into a branch pipe Il, through a flexible tubing II. and reversely bent tube 2l which enters the eway opening through a nome N through its side and, as shown, atareverseangletothedirectionofsaidopening. -Theendofsaidnozzlepassagewavinturn connects with a ilexible and collapsible tube 21 including a trt tube 21a, said last named iiexibletubedischargingtothesewerdisposal' pipe I3. A cock I1 controls the volume of now ofthissecondarystreamofliquidandmaybe used to cut it oifentirely when that is desirable.

Fromtheaboveltwillbeapparentthatthese branch connections will provide for a secondary stream of liquid which may iiow continuously from the primary stream to the sewer discharge means and which at the same time may be available to pass through the tubular extension 2l of nomleNwithintheintestinaltractwhensaid nomle is operatively positioned. It will also be apparent that this secondary stream of liquid canbecarriedintotheintestinal'tractandwithinclinedorreverselybent secondarystreamtodowintotheintestinaltract lnwhatevervolumemaybedeterminedtheiiexibletuhingisbentorkinkedsoastoblcck fiowtothesewerdischargewiththeresultthat :atsuchtimestheentlreflowofthesecondary 4streamwillpasswithinthe testinaltract. The pressm'e at which this liquid is delivered is. howevendeiinitelyhelduptoap mmaximumwhichconslshofthegravitypressureexerred by a column o: liquid extending from the high point II in the primary piping system to the point where the nozzle N is positioned for use upon the bench or support T. This support T is adapted to receive the subject and in general will position the rectal opening at a predetermined distance below the maximum elevation of the primary stream. By mampuiating the valves la, 1a, lb and 1b a-suiilcient ilow of water is at all times passed through the mixing chamber and the primary and secondary sets ot piping so as to cause a continuous primary stream of liquid to flow through the primary set of piping Il. I2 and I3 to discharge to the sewer, and also tc supply a continuous secondary stream flowing through the pipes Il. IB, I8. the passageway in nozzle N, pipes 21 and 21a and I 2 to the sewer. And this regardless of whether the nozzle discharge 21 has been collapsed to. block ilow through it and cause the liquid to pass through the nomic to the rectal cavity or whether it is open so that the secondary stream ilows directly when the nomle is blocked by being in the rectal cavity. There is thus provided regulable means for insuring that the primary stream will be continuously flowing. Furthermore, as clearly shown, the piping for the primary stream is suiiiciently large in relation to the passageways for the secondary stream, particularly the passageway through the nozzle N, so that there will be no effective increase in resistance of iiow oi the primary stream when the discharge tube 21 is collapsed to close it.

It follows that when the colonic pipe 21 is opened up and released that the secondary stream is re-established to iiow 'to the sewer, water and other material from within the intestinal tract. both from pressure therein and from the siphoning effect of the secondary" stream, will be withdrawn from the intestinal tract taking with it the substances which it is the purpose of the apparatus to clean therefrom.

In the nozzle structure N the tubular discharge member 2l has an internal diameter of from to inch and has. as shown. a guard or conical plug member 24 attached to the rear portion thereof. Member 2l carries a quick detachable fitting 26 kwhich is adapted to be Joined witha cooperating union member secured to the flexible tubing 21. 'I'he nomle at the time of insertion may be provided with the removable obturator A which is shown mounted in an apertured supporting block 2l iixed to panel P. Obturator A has a projecting shank provided with a tapered headllaofsuchsizesstotandguardthe outer extremity of the nozzle N and at the same time to be capable of being withdrawn through the opening through nozzle N. By removal of the union 2l the obturator may be positioned within the nozzle N and extending to the end of the. tubular portion 2l, in which position the nome may be inserted ln the rectal opening and thereafter the obturator A removed and the nozsie member 2| connected with the hose by means of union 26.

Forthepurposeofadmittingagassuchasair into the secondary duid stream soins to nozzle N. I provide an induction tube 2| terminating at its upper end at a level no lower than the highest level of the overiiow pipe section I I which determines the height of the column of liquid in the primary stream thereof. Tube 2| connects with pipe Il, a part of the pipe system for the iiuid stream, and aregulatlng valver 22permitsthetubetobeopenmoreorless.

seeondaryiluidstream-willcauseairtobeiniectedinatthispointwhichineertaincaseshas a desirable bcneiicialresult. This injecting eilect is aided by providing an annular restriction Ik inpipe ilasshowninFigAwithacentralopening IIb Just above the entrance ot the opening from valve Il into pipe Il.

The pipe Il is shown extending for some distance above the connection Il and its upper end communicates with the bottom o! the tank I8 also mounted on the supporting panel P. Tank Il is open at its upper end, or, ii desired, may be provided with a hinged cover and is adapted to contain medicants in solution. A iiow regulating valve Il in the pipe Il above its connection with the transverse pipe Il and valve i1 determines the rate oi' now of the medicant from tank I8. A tubular glass gage 20 is shown as mounted at one side oi' medicant tank Il and connected at its lower end with the pipe Il to indicate the medicant level within tank I8.

'Ihe advantages ot my invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. In practical use, after ythe nozzle N has been properly positioned, by manipulation of valves 0a and 1a. 6b and 1b, a proper rate oi' iiow o! water to cause a continuous primary stream to iiow of suilicient volume so that when the secondary stream also is established the primary stream will continue to ilow and the pressure stabilization eil'ect of such primary stream vmoving past the highest point in the piping will be obtained. A proper tempering oi that water, as indicated by thermometer 32, is also obtained. The valve I1 will then be opened and liquid-tempered water or ,with medicant added-will move through the set of piping to establish the secondary stream going from the primary stream to the sewer discharge. The operator manipulating the exible and collapsible tubing 21 will at the start hold it closed 'for a considerable period of time to allow a considerable amount .oi' uid to enter the rintestinal tract. When the tubing 21 is released and opened up the flow of the secondary stream will be re-established to the sewer discharge member Il and `the liquid within the intestinal tract will be moved outwardly through the nozzle N and be carried in said secondary stream to the sewer.v From time to time the operator will close the pipe 21 and the manner in which it is closed may vary somewhat the pressure oi' the incoming liquid in the intestinal. tract but that pressure can never be more than the stabilized pressure eiected by the column of water in height the distance between the position of nozzle N and the highest point o! the primary pipe system at Il.

'All iiuid enters the intestinal tract through the opening in the tubular extension 23 of nozzle N and all liquid, including matter carried thereby, leaves the intestinal tract from the same opening.

I claim:

1. Irrigating apparatus of the class described comprising a system of piping and connections thereto with a source ol liquid under variable pressure, said piping constructed and arranged to convey a .continuously owing stream of liquid trom said source to an elevated position and thence to a lowered point i'or sewer discharge, a second set of piping branching from the elevating portion of the first set and constructed and arranged to convey a secondary continuous ilowing stream 'of liquid from said source to said point of discharge, whereby variable pressure oi the source will be changed to constant pressure oi discharge from said secondary stream at any point thereof. and means for entraining a stream of gaseous bubbles within said continuously iiowing secondary stream. wherebya train o! said gas is carried with the liquid of said constantly flowing secondary stream.

2. A colonic and intestinal irrigator comprising a mixing chamber, means for delivering thereto hot and cold liquid respectively from sources oi supply which delivers the same under pressure, an outlet pipe extending upwardly a considerable distance and then downwardly for conveying a primary streamv oi' tempered liquid therefrom, means connecting said outlet pipe to' discharge into a sewer system, a nozzle having a central passageway, a tube connected with the upwardly extending portion of the outlet pipe and with the side oi said central passageway, and a second tube connected with said passageway and with the sewer discharge pipe so that when the nozzle is blocked by insertion within a cavity oi a human body a secondary stream of tempered liquid will ow through said last named .pipes to discharge to the sewer, a subject support located at a ilxed distance below the uppermost extent of the outlet pipe for positioning the nozzle when in the -rectal cavity of a subject on said support so that when the primary stream is flowing the resulting vertical extent of said primary stream to the nozzle will act as a pressure stabilizer of liquid flowing through the outlet pipe and the nozzle pipe connected therewith, said nozzle discharge pipe embodying means whereby it may be manipulated to cause closure thereof at the will of the operator, whereby ow of liquid under said stabilized pressure will go through the outlet of said nozzle passageway into the body cavity when the same is positioned for irrigation-and during the period of closure oi' said last mentioned pipe and from the body cavity backythrough the nozzle passageway after said closure is released, the liquid deliver ing means being'regulable to cause said pri` mary stream and said secondary stream both to be continuously ilowing while the apparatus is in use, both when the collapsible pipe is closed and when it is open.

3. A colonic intestinal irrigator comprising a,l

` hot and cold water respectively from a source of supply which delivers the same under pressure, an outlet pipe extending upwardly a considerable distance and then downwardly ior conveying a primary stream of tempered liquid therefrom, means connecting said outlet pipe to discharge into a sewer system, a nozzle having a central passageway. a tube connected with the upwardly extending portion of the outlet pipe and with the side oi.' said central passageway, a collapsible conduit connected with the end of said passageway and with the sewer discharge pipe so when the nozzle is blocked by insertion within a cavity of a human body a secondary stream of tempered liquid will ilow through said tube, passageway and conduit to discharge to the sewer, a subject support located at a predetermined distance below the uppermost extent of the outlet pipe for positioning the nozzle when in the rectal cavity of a subject on said support so that when the primary stream is flowing the resulting vertical extent of piping to the nozzle will act as a pressure stabilizer oi' liquid owing through the out` iet pipe to the nozzle, said collapsible nozzle discharge pipe being adapted to be manipulated to `cause closure thereof at the will of the operator. wherebynow of liquid under said stabilized pressure will go through the outlet of said nozzle passageway into the body cavity when the same is positioned for irrigation and during the period of closure of the collapsible pipe and from the body cavity back through said nozzle passageway after said closure is released, the liquid delivery means being regulable to cause said primary stream and said secondary stream both to be continuously ilowing while the apparatus is in use both when the' collapsible pipe is closed and' when it is open. f

4. In a colonic and intestinal irrigator a system of piping and connections thereto with a source of liquid under pressure, said piping constructed and arranged to convey a stream of -liquid from said source to an elevated position and thence to a lowered point for sewer discharge, a second set of piping branching from the elevating portion of the first set and constructed and arranged to convey a secondary stream of liquid from said source to said point of discharge, a nozzle havingva central passageway connected in said second set of piping, a subject support so located in relation to said piping that when the nozzle is positioned in the rectal cavity of a subject on said support the greater part of said elevation of the piping above said discharge will be effective when the primary stream is ilowing to cause a predetermined stabilized pressure at the point of discharge from said nozzle, means for regulating the delivery of liquid from said source so as to cause said primary stream to be continuously flowing and said secondary stream to be continuously iiow'lng into the rectal cavity or to discharge lwhen the apparatus is in use. the discharge portion of said second set of piping embodying means whereby it may be manipulated to cause closure and reopening thereof at the will of the operator. the liquid from` said secondary stream being caused to pass through the nozzle and into the cavity when the secondary discharge is closed, the liquid and matter carried thereby returning from the cavity through the nozzle to the secondary stream when the discharge piping is opened, and being aided in said movement by said secondary stream to be discharged therewith to the sewer.

5. In a colonic and intestinal irrigator a system of piping and connections thereto with a source of liquid under pressure. said piping constructed and arranged to convey a stream of liquid from said source to an elevated position and thence to a lowered point for sewer discharge, a second set of piping branching from the elevating portion of the iirst set and conof the nozzle into said central passageway and being reversely bent, a subject support so located in relation to said piping that when the nozzle is positioned in therectal cavity of a subject on said support the greater part of said elevation of sans predetermined stabilized pressure at the point of dischargeffrom said nonle. means' for regulating the delivery of.liquid from said source so as to cause said primary stream to be continuously ilowing and said secondary stream to be continuously iiowins into the rectal cavity or to discharge when the apparatus is in use. the discharge portion of said second set of piping embodying means whereby it may be manipulated to cause closure andl reopening thereof at the will of the operator, the liquid from said secondary streamtobecausedtopassthroughthenozzle and into the cavity when said discharge portion is clem, the liquid and matter carried thereby returning from the cavity through the nozzle to the secondarystream when the discharge portion is opened, and being aided in said movement by said secondary stream to be discharged therewith to the sewer.

6. An irrigator comprising a mixing chamber, an inlet pipe for said chamber adapted to be connected to hot and cold faucets oi a city or pressure water system, an outlet pipe rising from the top of -the chamber and thence over and downwardly, a. connection between the downwardly extending portion of said pipe and a sewage system. a conduit connected to said outlet pipe intermediate said mixing chamber and the upper portion of said pipe. a nozzle having a reversely bent inlet connection with said conduit and having an open outlet. and a pipe adapted to connect said nozzle with said sewage system, said last mentioned pipe embodying means whereby it may be manipulated to cause closure thereof at the will of the operator, whereby the iiow ci liquid will be directed through the outlet of said nozzle during the obstruction of said last mentioned pipe.

7. An irrigator comprising a tank, an inlet pipe ior the tank adapted to be connected to hot and cold faucets of a city or pressure water system, an outlet pipe rising from the top of the tank and provided withl a branch which is vented to remove entrapped air from the tank, a second branch connected to said pipe between the firstl named branch and the tank, a depending pipe connected to the ilrst named branch-and constituting a waste pipe. an elbow in the waste pipe adapted to be connected to a sewage system, a let pipe adapted to be connected to the water system and entering the elbow, a pipe connected to the second named branch pipe, a

supplying a medicinal medium, an outlet for the last. named uns, s vaiveeontromng the 1art1 named outlet pipe. a common pipe connected to the said last named pipe and to the outlet pipe for the medicinal tank, a flexible hose connected to the common pipe. a nozzle for the hose having a reversely bent inlet connection with the hose, and a pipe adapted to connect the nozzle with the sewage system between said elbow and the trap of the sewage system whereby a suction action is created by the iet pipe in the nozzle outlet pipe.

MILTON IRWIN. 

